For a considerable time, it has been the customary practice to design the carrying arm for an outside mirror on a motor vehicle to pivot about an anchorage affixed to a body of the vehicle. At least one reason for this is the necessity in certain situations to be able to fold or swing the carrying arm, along with the outside mirror, out of its normal outwardly extended position from the body into a folded or swung-in position. When folded, the carrier arm is then essentially parallel and adjacent a surface of the body. This is required, for instance, in passing through a wash apparatus, or driving through particularly narrow passageways where the extended mirror could collide with bordering obstructions. Further, by pivoting the carrying arm relative to the anchorage, assurance is provided that upon an impact of the mirror against an obstacle, the carrying arm will yield to the obstacle and possibly reduce or prevent damage to the outside mirror.
When the outside mirror strikes an obstacle, the carrying arm may pivot automatically. At other times it is possible to intentionally or selectively pivot the outside mirror, such as prior to driving through a narrow alley or through a vehicle wash. However, until now it has always been necessary that the driver of the vehicle pivot the outside mirror by hand into the folded position. If the vehicle has an outside mirror mounted on the passenger or right side, as is generally the case, then the driver is obliged to stop the vehicle, dismount, and pivot this right side mirror against the body.
If the motor vehicle happens to be an emergency vehicle, and at the same time a truck or a bus, then the outside mirrors are often mounted so high that they simply cannot be reached for angular adjustment from the ground without auxiliary access such as a step ladder.